Recover, Rebuild [Solby]

Chapter 1

Note: This takes place in a universe where Kat doesn't exist. Enjoy!

*

"Dude... what?" Colby couldn't have heard Sam right. Sam stood just inside his doorway, leaning into the doorframe, hand anxiously carding through his hair. Colby's arms were crossed, a joking grin reflexively falling onto his face because he could not have heard Sam right and if he had it had to be a prank. Because Sam had definitely not just said what he had heard.

"I just... I keep thinking about the Sam Pepper prank, and that part just..." He shook his head, and Colby could see that he would thinking through his words, "Like I've processed the rest of it but I'm not sure why that part is stuck in my head..."

Colby laughed reflexively, disbelieving. "Yeah but... you want me to tie you up. With duct tape. And just..." He chuckled, "This is a prank right?" He started casting his eyes around the room. "Where's the camera, dude?"

"There is no camera." Color was flooding Sam's cheeks. "I'm not joking around Colby."

It was about 7:00PM on a Thursday. Colby had been getting ready to go downstairs and start a movie when Sam had poked his head into his room. The uncharacteristic solemnity of Sam's demeanor had given him pause. Now that he knew why Sam was here, he didn't know what to think.  

"I mean, you can't be serious, you can't really want me to tape you up like that," Colby's joking resolve was faltering under the clear embarrassment and start of regret that he could see in Sam's eyes.

"Colby, I..." Sam swallowed, looking at the floor before looking back up, "I mean it, bro."

And Colby could see no lie in his friend's eyes. It was a result of their long friendship that he could tell during pranks when Sam was fucking around. It was why Sam rarely pranked him in ways that demanded lying. Colby could read him too well. And this time was no exception.

"Fuck dude," Colby's smile faltered, and he uncrossed his arms. "You really mean it."

Sam looked away in discomfort. "You're the only one I could even bring this up to. I mean, could you imagine Corey's face?" He tried for humor, but only managed a faint ghost of a laugh.

Colby studied his friend's face. "But why?" He asked, in honest curiosity. He couldn't imagine any reason why Sam would want to be taped up and helpless again, not when Colby had already seen the trauma it had caused.

Sam sighed, cheeks red. "I don't really have a good answer?" He responded, pressing his hands against his face. "Just that something about that feeling, of being helpless..." He shivered. "I can't get it straight in my head. And it scares me. "

Colby's stomach twisted. He still felt guilty over that whole ordeal. That prank had pushed too far, he admitted it. He and Sam had spent a lot of time talking through the unintentional trauma he had caused, Colby holding himself fully responsible for not telling Pepper to back off on some of the elements of the prank. Sam had paid for that mistake, and Colby would do anything to make it up to him.

"So..." Colby rested his elbows on his knees, meeting Sam's eyes. "What do you need me to do?"

***

Sam was wearing long sleeves and pants. They were going for restraint, not unnecessary pain when pulling the tape off. Sam's ankles were already taped, and he sat on the floor, legs outstretched, as Colby climbed up to do his wrists. He started to pull Sam's hands in front of him, but Sam halted him.

"No, you did them behind before." Colby's chest hurt a little as he took in the fearful anticipation in Sam's eyes. Colby paused, hand still holding Sam's wrist.